GOP Leaders Not Defending Cheney Against Charge He Wants Terror Attack

[babylonsister]

Stand-by for multiple appearances by Liz to have a whack at Panetta.


http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/gop-leaders-not-defending-cheney-against-charge-he-wants-terror-attack/

GOP Leaders Not Defending Cheney Against Charge He Wants Terror Attack


This one’s pretty telling: GOP leaders are not stepping up to defend Dick Cheney against CIA chief Leon Panetta’s explosive charge that the former Veep seems to be hoping for another terrorist attack in order to vindicate his national security policies.

Panetta made big news when it was revealed over the weekend that he’d told The New Yorker that it’s almost as if Cheney is “wishing that this country would be attacked again, in order to make his point.”

Ordinarily Republicans would pounce on such a statement about one of their own and unleash a torrent of demands for an apology. But GOP leaders are unusually quiet, with none that I can find issuing statements or saying anything about it yesterday after the news broke.

That silence is continuing today. Spokespeople for House GOP leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor both confirmed to me that their offices would have no comment on Panetta’s claim. Spokespeople for Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell and RNC chair Michael Steele have not responded to requests for comment.

Only Pete Hoekstra, the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, has struck back, tweeting that Panetta’s comment was “outrageous.” Otherwise, the silence suggests that GOP leaders want to move the conversation past Cheney and his legacy.

Looks like defending the former Veep on this one will fall, again, to Dick’s chief PR front-woman, Liz Cheney.